The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued details on a national staffing campaign for the nursing home sector, aimed at increasing the number of nurses working in nursing homes and at state agencies that inspect nursing homes for compliance. The campaign continues the initiatives outlined in April, which ties $75 million funded by federal civil monetary penalties collected for certain types of noncompliance, to a national staffing campaign.

The agency will provide financial incentives for registered nurses (RNs) to work in nursing homes and state agencies, including tuition reimbursement, CMS said in a statement on Monday.

More streamlined training opportunities will be available for those looking to become certified nurse aides (CNA) as well under the CMS campaign, which includes paid on-the-job training. The agency hopes this will make it easier for prospective CNAs to enter the nursing home workforce.

“The original announcement of investing, ‘over $75 million’ was referring to the financial incentives that CMS and partner organizations will be offering to registered nurses (RNs) to work in nursing homes. This is just one component of the campaign,” a CMS spokesperson told Skilled Nursing News, referring to CNA training programs.

More information on the campaign will be available in the coming months, the spokesperson said.

Lori Porter, co-founder and CEO of the National Association of Health Care Assistants (NAHCA), which represents CNAs, told SNN that while the association was pleased to see CMS make this investment, the group strongly advised against nursing homes being the education provider.

“NAHCA provided CMS with sustainable solutions to recruiting, educating and certifying thousands who desire to become CNAs as a career choice and as a career pathway,” said Porter. “We must revolutionize the way we promote and prepare students for this role.”

Operators as teachers could impact recruiting and retention

Porter said that it’s vital that a CNA’s learning experience is as impactful as possible. Porter herself received her certification from the Kansas City Area Vocational Technical School, from instructors who had a passion to teach.

“I was a high school dropout and when I left the school with that certificate, I was so proud I almost framed it like I had earned a PhD. Had it said, ‘XYZ Nursing & Rehab,’ I would have tossed it in the backseat on my drive home,” she said.

Nursing home providers have been offering in-house CNA certification since the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987, Porter said, with “decades of skyrocketing turnover.”

“Nursing assistants deserve a professional education, and the residents also deserve a proud, inspired and well-developed care force,” she said.

Along with incentives for RNs and CNAs, CMS launched a recruitment website for prospective nurses – the site will highlight and link to state websites providing listings of local CNA training programs, promising individuals they can “become a CNA for free.”

Links to RN financial incentives will be linked on the site as well once available, CMS said, so nurses can apply through the same site.

Janine Finck-Boyle, vice president of health policy for sector association LeadingAge, said web pages published today provide a look at the elements of CMS’ highly anticipated effort.

“The details on the specific job opportunities within the selector, including CNAs, LPN/LVNs, and RNs, for instance, give anyone seeking information into a career in long-term care useful insights, such as training costs and education requirements,” said Finck-Boyle.

Finck-Boyle is eagerly awaiting details on how the federal agency intends to reach possible candidates, explain financial incentives especially for RNs, and generally entice jobseekers to apply for employment in the sector.

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), also appreciated CMS taking action on caregiver shortages, a challenge associations have been talking about for years.

“We look forward to learning more about the agency’s financial incentives to support our valiant caregivers,” said Holly Harmon, senior vice president of quality, regulatory and clinical services for AHCA/NCAL. “To build the pipeline of caregivers that the nation will need to care for its aging population, policymakers must invest significant resources and advance meaningful policy changes.”

Those in the profession remain committed to working with CMS to change the trajectory of the ongoing workforce shortage, Harmon said.

“This effort will focus on promoting the value of nursing careers both to society and to students considering this path,” CMS said in a memo. “It will include descriptions of and education on the diverse opportunities available to students who want to focus on nursing home care and will emphasize the rewarding nature of the work.”

CMS asking for state partners

State-federal collaboration is another tenet of the staffing campaign, CMS said. There’s an intent to partner with state governments, leveraging the foundation CMS is building to bolster staffing campaigns in each state.

For example, states may provide additional financial incentives to RNs to work in nursing homes in their states, and improve their websites for nurse aide training as part of the partnership. CMS hopes these changes will make it easier for individuals to find and enroll in training programs.

CMS also said states will amplify the national staffing campaign to ensure the messages about the value in working within a nursing home will reach as many potential nurses as possible.

In addition to state collaborators, CMS will work with resident advocates, nursing organizations and nursing home associations to strengthen the campaign, again exemplifying recruitment messages and promoting incentives to work in nursing homes.

Among the career opportunities that CMS will assist, the agency listed RN and CNA positions as well as licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and nurse practitioners (NPs). In terms of specialized positions individuals could explore, CMS listed infection preventionists, wound care specialists, compliance officers, state nursing home inspectors and resident assessment coordinators for those looking to pursue a career path in nursing homes. 

Finally, CMS also shared insights into the types of leadership roles within a nursing home that individuals could eventually pursue, including directors of nursing, chief nursing officers, supervisors or directors of state inspection agencies, and state or federal government policy advisors.